How to Save a Life
by midnightdusk
Summary: In the aftermath of the final battle, and faced with the deaths of loved ones, Harry and Rons friendship struggles to overcome the bitterness of war. One Shot


How to Save a Life 

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the characters do not belong to me, they belong to J.K.Rowling. The title, and the lyrics below do not belong to me, they come from a song "How to Save a Life" by "The Fray"

"_Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend_

Somewhere along in the bitterness…" 

"You said she wouldn't be here" Harry Potter screamed, his eyes wild and blood smeared over his face.

Ron stood with his back to him, body posed over the body on the ground; eyes fixed on her face. He didn't care that deatheaters still ran around them shooting hexes every now and then. He didn't care that his best friend had just killed Voldemort and was currently standing behind him; blood pouring down his face. He had seen death before, he had seen his eldest brother die after suffering an infection, he had seen his girlfriend, their other best friend Hermione Granger die whilst saving their lives. He had felt more pain than he ever imagined he would - but in the end it would be ok, because he had Harry, and Harry had him. But now, as the sun rose around them and light was poured over the bloodshed that had occurred throughout that night, Ron felt for the first time that everything might not be ok.

He slowly turned, blocking Harry from coming closer to the body. He looked at his friend's steely gaze and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You don't want to see her, mate"

Harry looked right at him and shoved his hand off. "Don't tell me what to do! You were supposed to make sure she wasn't out here! And she was, and now look at her!" he said slowly, voice emotionless and hard. Harry roughly pushed him out of the way, causing Ron to stumble over. He watched in silence as Harry knelt by his sister's side and smoothed her hair out of her face.

As long as he had known Harry Potter, Ron had seen him angry, he had seen him depressed but he had always seen him recover, and become stronger from it. But this time... Harry's wand was lying uselessly on the ground, his messy hair covering his head, which was now on her chest. His arms shook with emotion and he felt his legs give beneath him. Tearing his eyes away from the split lovers he gazed around him noting the fighting had decreased significantly. Only a few people still were fighting and now that the Hogwarts grounds were overrun with aurors he expected it wouldn't be much longer until it was all, finally over.

Ron took a step towards Harry and placed a hand on his back. "We ought to..." Ron begun but was cut off by his swinging arm.

Ron was shocked at the hatred in his eyes. "Stay away from me. I ask you to do _one _thing Ron, ONE!" he screamed, tears streaming down his face. Harry stood up and even though he barely came up to his shoulder he could feel the power radiating off him. "I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU TO KEEP HER INSIDE!" he screamed between sobs. "But no, " he continued catching his breath. "...You can't even do that!" Harry clenched his fist and stared right at him for a moment before turning back to Ginny.

"She only wanted to fight, Harry" Ron said softly, backing away a little.

Harry's back stiffened. "And I never wanted to."

Ron was interrupted by a scream from the distance. He turned quickly and saw someone running full speed towards them. His heart dropped even further than he thought possible when he recognised his mother running at him. Before he had a chance to warn her she had wrapped her arms around him sobbing into his shoulder. "I heard it was done! And you're ok! You're ok. My little boy, I never..." she sobbed. Ron hugged her tightly and pulled back. "Mum" he said quietly, but it was too late for she had already spotted Harry and the body he was leaning over.

He had never heard a worse sound in his life. His mother wailed, loudly at first; but then more softly. He realised he looked a wreck, standing back from the scene unfolding in front of him, covered in blood - most of it not his own. He stood so still, the cold morning air rushing over his body causing thousands of bumps to rise. The whole time his mother had been cradling Ginny's limp body Harry had been staring at him. He knew it was not his fault. Who was he to stop Ginny fighting when she had lost as much as he? Harry was being selfish, wanting to get through everything without loss. But that just wasn't how war worked.

"Leave"

Ron stopped thinking and looked at Harry who was now standing in front of him. "You have no business here" Harry continued coldly

Ron paused for a moment. "Harry..."

Before Ron could continue he felt a fist in his face. He stumbled backwards, clutching his bleeding nose. "Don't _Harry _me" Harry spat, shaking his fist. "Don't tell me everyone looses people, that you lost Hermione and that it's just something that happens. It wouldn't have happened if you'd listened to me, and now? Now I have nothing!"

They stood glaring at each other, very aware of the people shifting uncomfortably around them. He could make out whispers around them, and out of the corner of his eye could still see Ginny's body.

Ron stepped back from Harry again. "You would have had me"

Harry glanced at him for a second and something flashed over his eyes. Turning away he spat on the ground, blood dripping out of his mouth.

"And now?" Harry questioned sarcastically.

Ron closed his eyes tightly. Harry always had a flair for the dramatic. He understood how much Harry had lost during his life, and how much pressure he was under, but he never understood that he wasn't the only person suffering. That he wasn't the only person who had suffered and who had sacrificed. The whole time Ron had been there along with him, and it was Ron who had saved his life when Bellatrix Lestrange tried to curse him.

Ron picked up his wand that had flown to the ground when Harry punched him and looked him square in the eyes.

"And now you don't"

Ron didn't wait to see his reaction, he only turned around doing his best not to look at anyone who had gathered. He took a last look at his little sister lying covered in blood and grit on the cold forest floor. He took a deep breath and let himself steady himself before he took a step away, then another, and another. He kept walking until he was no longer in Hogwarts, until he was so far away he wouldn't have to deal with war, or fighting, or loss ever again. He kept going and would keep going until one day he would realise that because of his attempts to run away from his past, he had never been able to get over it. He would always remember the hate in Harry's eyes and to his dying day it would be his last image of the man who had once been his best friend; for that would be the last time he ever lay eyes on Harry Potter, or Hogwarts.


End file.
